The latest figures from the Lancet show world figures of obese or overweight people has topped 2.1 billion, up from 875 million in 1980. Not one country has been successful at reducing the steady rise. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life due to diabetes, heart disease and cancers. Experts from the 188-country study said the rise was due to the modernisation of our world, causing physical inactivity on all levels of society. Inactivity—that's me! Because I find it painful to walk, I sit and write at the computer far too long all day, only getting up from my comfortable leather chair long enough to attend to necessary functions or spend time with my husband. Not good! But let's look at more facts. Researchers across the world were led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Washington, in the most comprehensive to date. Scientists analyzed data from all articles about the numbers of obese or overweight people in the world. More than half of the world's 671 million obese people live in 10 countries, ranked in order by The Lancet: US China India Russia Brazil Mexico Egypt Germany Pakistan Indonesia A professor reasoned that a higher obesity of men in developed countries was because of longer commutes to work from the suburbs, and spending more time inactive, like using computers. Children and adults were not building up enough functioning muscle mass, and eating three meals a day has been replaced by unstructured food intake—grabbing food when the desire hits. My husband and I, both in our 70s, still have an evening meal together, which he plans and cooks. He's more active than I am and he's almost too slim. On the other hand, I've developed a small amount of fat around my stomach. I don't like it! The alarming facts are enough to spur me to take more exercise.

www.mirror.co.uk

Obesity is a complex issue. Some people have a medical condition which can be blamed. However, fit and healthy people require aid on a national, local, family and individual level. We should all play a role in improving the health and well-being of those around us, particularly ourselves and the children who rely on an adult's guidance. Don't let yourself become a statistic. I'm wondering if this is another way for natural selection to weed out overpopulation. Too many humans occupy the Earth, which is leading to a reduction of resources like animals, fish and forests. Maybe the Earth doesn't need another great flood to eliminate an overabundance of the human species. We might eat ourselves to death.

I remember a childhood where common snacks included roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds along with candy, where soda was a luxury item in our home and came in a 7 oz bottle, where we rode our bicycles or walked everywhere, and there was no such thing as supersized anything. This was before the era of scientifically formulated snack foods designed to hook you on a particular addictive taste and/or texture. One thing is true Francene. Obesity is a complex issue. I know people who gained lots of weight on the antidepressants that allowed themselves to function, including some family members. Those meds did not exist when I was growing up.

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Francene Stanley:﻿Author﻿I use news items in my fantasy novels.

Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books on the sidebar below?I blogged 260 days last year. Link.